The Council - Episode 3: Ripples finally provides players with the answers they desire, but at the same time, proposes all new questions. Things are not as simple as I thought they would be, and an unseen power comes to light that genuinely has me excited for the remaining two episodes. The technical issues are such a drag, and by this point, I was hoping at least some of them would be resolved, but it appears like things are getting worse.
The Spectrum Retreat is an emotional narrative combined with enjoyable puzzle solving using unique gameplay mechanics. The story is well-told, and I was amazed at how the simulated world begins to feel broken the closer you get to the truth as if you are rejected this reality. The mannequin-like staff works beautifully with the style of the hotel, except the couple of times where they suddenly appear behind you. The backtracking does slow down the pacing of the game, and I do wish there was some rewind function for some of the longer puzzles, as having to restart them is a bit of a nuisance. Considering that the puzzles may have dozens of interactable blocks to mess around with, I do understand it may be asking too much without having to overhaul the puzzle system.
20XX's difficulty is definitely fitting, considering the original Mega Man franchise is regarded as one of the toughest to complete. The roguelike elements work perfectly with the procedurally generated stages and permanent upgrade options. The controls genuinely shine, giving you complete control over your character. It has taken some time for the game to come to console platforms, but as it stands, 20XX is the definitive action platformer title paying tribute to the classic Mega Man X series.
Shining Resonance Refrain brings the original Japan-only release to a worldwide audience across multiple platforms. With that said, the narrative and combat system and thoroughly enjoyable, but neither stands out when compared to other games in the genre. The Refrain mode inclusion adds a new twist for those that already played through it, but I was more than happy to play through it again on an Xbox One. There are loads of systems that work in unison, such as forming bonds to create a compelling and cohesive party, as well as the inclusion of optional social aspects. There are also a ton of previous swimsuit DLC for the female cast too if you are into that type of thing.
Whether or not the developers didn't have faith in their product or it was just trying to be clever, the meta-jokes about how silly everything in the game is entirely accurate. The game is only a couple hours long, and unless you are trophy/achievement hunting, there isn't any reason to return to the game. Even then, playing through the game feels like a chore, as levels overstay their welcome. Time will tell if the original promise of co-op makes it into the game, but that doesn't change anything concerning the borderline racist and offensive style of comedy used throughout.
Fox n Forests is an authentic retro-inspired love letter to 16-bit era platformers, and I dig that. The game does include some modern touches, and a bit of Metroidvania style progression, but the look and feel is straight out of the SNES. I didn't quite enjoy having to replay levels to collect the magic seeds to proceed as it creates an artificial progression barrier. You also won't be able to replay boss encounters, which is some of the best moments in the game.
Jurassic World Evolution is an easy to pick up title featuring great looking dinosaurs and solid park building elements. There is undoubtedly a lack of “fluff,” to beautify your park outside of the required buildings and pathways, but it's something that can be easily solved via patches. Frontier has already committed to supporting the title with new dinosaurs. Things can become quite chaotic when enclosures start to fail during a massive storm, and you lose power at the same time. Not to mention you are facing diseases and balancing the safety of the guests while providing sheer entertainment.
Just Shapes & Beats is an enjoyable rhythmic bullet-hell experience, best played with others either online or locally, but still a great deal of fun alone. It's a different take on the genre and a refreshing experience that will have you up and moving with the beats. The developers have covered just about everything they could in the game, from a local and online multiplayer to a more straightforward easy/casual mode.
Omensight is the ideal title for someone looking to solve a murder mystery wrapped in an enjoyable action-packed adventure. Although you are frequently outnumbered, you always feel in control thanks to the satisfying combat mechanics. There is one particular section in the game is beyond frustrating, but outside of that, the game's difficulty is well grounded.
Although Vampyr's combat system is thoroughly satisfying, it's the dark atmosphere and narrative that genuinely makes the game a must-have. Your choices define the experience, altering a world full of discovery and intrigue all around you. Do you give in to your blight and feast upon the weak and unworthy inhabitants of London or do you become their salvation? It should take you anywhere from 20-30 hours to complete the narrative, but if you want to see all of the possible endings, you'll have to play through multiple times, altering your choices and decisions regarding the lives of the citizens.
Earth Atlantis is an enjoyable shooter with a beautiful visual style, reminiscent of a time where monsters were believed to be hidden underwater. The game has been re-balanced since the initial Nintendo Switch release, not to mention being able to use the d-pad for steering the ship. There are two main game modes and multiple pilotable ships. Strangely the audio options are only available on the main menu, and I ended up muting my TV while playing as I found the constant shooting audio level to be a tad too overpowering. There are three difficulty modes as well as a record keeper for completion times, but it seems to be local only and not global. I think the game would benefit from trying to best your friends time in either mode.
Red Matter has undoubtedly left an impression based on the world-building and interactions within.
The two very different gameplay elements in Moonlighter compliment each other beautifully. Running a successful shop means you need to become a top-notch hero and collect enough items to sell. Becoming a trustworthy hero requires you to be a prosperous shopkeeper to earn enough gold to craft new things and to enchant your gear. While I do have some issues with the combat, namely how you lunge forward with each attack, I thoroughly enjoyed the boss encounters tied to each of the game's dungeons.
State of Decay 2's promise of improving upon the existing formula with cooperative gameplay, fails to capture our attention and ultimately is a disappointment. I've lost countless vehicles due to improper collusion in a mostly static environment. While there is an “I'm stuck” option for players, nothing can resolve anything with your car stuck between a table and a wall. There are too many systems that don't cohesively tie the package together. The game runs rather poorly, even on Xbox One X. The frame rate can undoubtedly dip well below 30 frames per second and is frequently under when on running on an Xbox One S. The included motion blur is way too aggressive, and even the slightest camera movement makes the visuals a blurry mess or swirling colors.
As a roguelike title, Wizard of Legend provides a challenging experience, but that is why I enjoy playing it. You aren't meant to immediately be able to blast your way through the entirety of the game right away. Progression is the key to varying the experience, as well as not only making it slightly easier for consequent attempts. Experimenting with the different spells provides you better insight into what type of play style works best for you. The inclusion of a co-op, even if it's only local is a nice touch.
The Council - Episode 2: Hide and Seek pushes the narrative forward but focuses on Louis exploring the island and solving large-scale environmental puzzles. With that said, the same performance issues and slowdown that plagued the first episode returns. The voice acting tends to be all over the place, even shifting quality during a single conversation. The branching paths provide a different experience, but overall the episode is quite short and once again ends on a cliffhanger.
AO International Tennis has all the makings of a definitive tennis title, with enjoyable core mechanics. However, the movement system is clunky and feels like you don't have total control over your player. I've had the hard game lock on me a couple of times, and I've had moments where my player simply refused to swing for no apparent reason. With that said, I felt more comfortable placing precision shots and increasing the difficulty the longer I played the game. The game's creation suite is outstanding, and each day I find someone new to download.
Dragon's Crown Pro is the definitive version of the game, especially if you have a PlayStation 4 Pro and a 4K supported display. The developers have done an outstanding job, boosting the visuals fidelity from the original release, and including the orchestrated version of the soundtrack. I have already spent dozens of hours on the initial release and considering I was able to use my save file from the PS Vita; I see myself once again spending a crazy amount of hours chasing high-end loot. It is a shame that no new skins for the classes have been released or included and the high price tag may scare some players from double dipping.
Masters of Anima provides an adequate challenge in terms of puzzle solving and combat encounters. You are ranked on each fight based on the number of guardians lost, damage Otto has taken, and how long it took to complete. The stylized visuals are quite charming, and the camera is kept in an isolated view that can't be altered. You may fumble at first with the controls, especially once you are trying to juggle a handful of different guardian types at a single time. However, it has been a delight to play the game and feel like a badass when you find the perfect combination of guardians to utilize.
It has been quite some time since I have enjoyed a platformer as much as I have with The Adventure Pals. The zany premise, characters, and colorful cartoon visuals certainly put a smile on my face. Video games are all about having fun, and The Adventure Pals is simply a fun game to play. You earn additional items and upgrade your character as you progress through the 105 different levels in the game. Don't forget to feed the cupcake king and collect wacky customization options. The co-op mechanics is somewhat lackluster, and I would have liked to see that implemented better so that both players and grow their characters.